Blog Herding: Community Edition 05/17/12

Today marks the day J.C. Padilla scored the highest video
game score ever recorded, when back in 2003 he reached 2,181,619,994,299,256,480
points in Giga Wing 2 for the Dreamcast. If that doesn't excite you, perhaps
one of these blogs by the community will.

Weird
Should Be A ComplimentDoctor Apozem talks about how
weird shouldn't necessarily have negative connotations when referring to an atypical
video game design and challenges us to seek these games out and give them a
try.

Cutting
Corners – Tricks Of The TradeCommunity blogger xking595x
examines techniques used by the developers in the construction of video games while wondering if part of the science is creative
ingenuity or simply cutting corners.

Video
Game Addiction: The Brutal TruthAn interesting and potentially
provocative blog by PatManDude101 providing his scientific explanation of why we
enjoy playing games as much as we do and why they can be so addictive. See if
you agree.

Are
We Doomed To Repeat The Past?Noobtubin8er muses about past
events from the world of video games and questions whether the industry has
learned from them or if we're doomed to repeat them.

Skyrim:
From Riften To MarkarthEver wonder how extensive Skyrim
is? Community member footthumb chronicles his travels on foot from Riften to
Markarth in this fascinating journal that sheds a little light on how big the
game really is.

Top
10 HealersThe support characters who
often patch up their wounded teammates are often under-appreciated and seldom
thanked – until now. This top ten list by thegodofwine7 recognizes some of our
favorite healers.

How
Special Is Spec Ops?In what has become an almost
weekly feature, Kyle Wadsworth provides stunning details from the demo on the
soon-to-be released third-person military shooter that is said to challenge
your morality.

Apple
Console SpeculationThe recent rumor that Apple was
joining the video game console fray was short lived and not widely discussed, but Zachary Pligge has a few comments on the issue including his overall
expectations.

My
Thoughts On The Elder Scrolls OnlineFans of the Elder Scroll series
continue to weigh in on the recent announcement of the MMO. Drym Shyuan has a few reservations that he discusses with the
community.

The
Wii-U Is Going To Break The TraditionAs the release of Nintendo's
next generation console draws closer, more gamers are wondering how well it
will be received. Stonecutters908 shares his thoughts on the lineup of titles
available at launch.

Community Reviews:

This
Experiment Is A SuccessA solid
review by one of the regular contributors to the user reviews, Orochi Assassin
LEVON provides a thorough analysis of Radical Entertainment's Prototype 2
before awarding the game 8.25 out of 10.

L.A.
Noire ReviewSamuraiZero posted a number of
reviews this week, including one covering L.A. Noire, a game that seems to be
hit or miss. The review provides the highs and lows of the game and scores it
8.50 out of 10.

Mass
Effect 2: Blastoise ReviewWhile reviews of Mass Effect 3
keep arriving fairly regularly, Roxin17 posts one for its predecessor, a game
that many feel is every bit as good. He gives Mass Effect 2 a very respectable
9.25 out of 10.

From
Hero To ZeroCraigaleg gives the first
attempt by Lionhead Studios to publish an Xbox Live Arcade title based off the
Fable series his video review attention. Check out the companion blog here: Video
Review – Fable Heroes.

Community Podcasts:

The
Indie & Mojo Show Episode 33Indiejones and Mojomonkey12
welcome a new host (and future Game Informer intern) to their team as the group
talks about Darksiders, The Walking Dead, Dark Souls, Minecraft, and League of
Legends.

Robot
In The Corner 2-28This week the hosts talk about The Avengers movie before sharing the
answers to their listener question, "Which developer are you most anxious
to see a new game from (sequel or new IP)?"

Don't forget to send your feedback, recommendations, and
community events in to my personal Game Informer account located here to
ensure this feature continues to provide the content you're eager to read.